Max Headroom Generation 23
by ElegantButler
Summary: About three centuries after the events in the original Max Headroom series the four major TV networks have moved to the stars while war wages on the Earth below.


MAX HEADROOM: GENERATION 23

by Elegant Butler

MAX HEADROOM: GENERATION 23

-Pilot-

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. NETWORK 23 SPACE STATION.

We are following a medium sized shuttlecraft toward the docking bay of the Network 23 Space Station. The shuttlecraft is light blue in color with the standard red XXIII logo that has been the network's trademark for over three hundred years.

INT. SHUTTLE

Trace Adams is piloting the shuttle. He is about forty, slightly overweight but still good looking with blond hair and grey eyes.

Also on board the shuttle is Alice Carter. She is a strong looking woman in her mid twenties with jet black hair in an angled bob haircut and ocean blue eyes. She looks down at the ring on her hand and thinks to herself.

ALICE (v.o)

The Network 23 Vidicam Ring. First used in 2237 during the Zlin Uprising by John Ashton, the great grandnephew of reporter Paddy Ashton. We've come a long way since the days of the hand-held vidicam. But the war took a heavy toll on the planet below and we've still got a long way to go.

END OF TEASER

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

INT. DOCKING BAY - DAY

The shuttle opens and Alice steps out quickly. A man runs up to her. His name is John Martin. He is dark skinned, balding and about sixty. He is carrying a small rectangular device similar to a cellphone but slightly larger.

JOHN (in a harried tone)

You're cutting it close this week, Miss Carter. The footage.

ALICE hands JOHN the ring. JOHN taps a key on his device and a drive slides out. JOHN inserts the ring into the drive then closes it and taps a key on the device marked "SEND".

JOHN (more relaxed)

Lynch wants to see you.

ALICE

Which one?

JOHN

Alan. Jake's busy as usual.

ALICE

I'd better go see what he wants.

ALICE heads for the door at the far end of the docking bay and makes her way down to the lifts. She presses the button and waits for a moment. The doors open and ALICE steps inside, turning to the front as they close.

FADE OUT

FADE IN:

INT. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. The room is cluttered with everything from 300 years worth of scientific gadgets to G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and He-Man Action figures, some of which seem to be wearing each other's heads. One particularly interesting monstrosity features Skeletor's legs, Lady Jaye's torso, and Donatello's head.

ALAN TURING LYNCH, a boy of sixteen, is sitting in a swivel chair. There is a flat headband on his head with a small square patching covering his right eye. His left eye is closed.

The door of the lab opens and ALICE CARTER walks in.

ALAN opens his left eye, but keeps the patch over the right one.

ALAN

You got my message. Excellent.

ALICE

Actually, all I got was a note that you wanted to see me. What's this about?

ALAN

New intelligence has just come to me from one of my contacts on the surface. There's talk of a major conflict brewing in the Southeast. I've been working on increasing the range of the TR9 vidicam ring just in case.

ALICE

That'll come in handy if it does come to war. Thanks. What's Jake working on?

ALAN looks over at his little brother JAKE who is about nine. JAKE is working with a very elaborate chemistry set. There is a mouse on his shoulder which has light green fur. It seems to be watching the experiment he is working on.

ALAN

What's the new project again, Jake?

JAKE

A photosynthesis enhancer. If it works it'll speed up the growth rate of whatever plant it's sprayed on. It'll mean a faster crop rotation in the hydroponic center if it works, and less reliance on the agricultural conglomerates back on earth.

RICHARD CHEVIOT IV (o.s.)

You're taking an awfully big risk with that project, Jake.

Richard Cheviot IV is in his mid sixties. He has white hair and a matching beard like his ancestor Ben Cheviot and brown eyes.

RICHARD

The Conglomerate is very powerful and very dangerous. You remember what they did to those farmers in the Eastern Territory back in 2508.

JAKE

That was four years ago.

RICHARD

And since then they've gotten even more powerful. Oh. And Miss Carter, while you're here. I saw your most recent report. Very good work.

ALICE

Thank you, sir. It's getting quite rough down there. Especially the fighting in the rainforests of New Mauritius. And all the gossip in the trenches seems to suggest it's going to get worse before it gets better.

RICHARD

I doubt the wars will ever end. That's why it was decided back in 2249 that the four major networks would move their bases of operations to the stars. Since that time only our reporters have ever traveled to the surface of the Earth. The Conglomerate provides regular deliveries of produce ...

JAKE (interrupting)

For a huge fee.

RICHARD (continued)

… and water while Zik Zak still provides meats and other essentials.

JAKE shrugs.

RICHARD

I'm just warning you. Don't cause trouble. I don't want to see this network get shut down.

RICHARD exits the lab.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE


End file.
